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Abstract

Background: Palliative care plays a critical role in improving the quality of life for individuals with life-limiting illnesses. Nursing students, as future frontline caregivers, must possess appropriate knowledge and attitudes to deliver effective palliative care. Globally, gaps in palliative care education have been identified, especially in low- and middle-income countries. This study explores the understanding and perception of undergraduate nursing students toward palliative care within a resource-limited academic setting.
Objective: To assess the level of knowledge and attitude regarding palliative care among fourth-year undergraduate nursing students at the University of Lahore.
Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at the Lahore School of Nursing, University of Lahore, from September 2020 to December 2023. A total of 55 fourth-year BSN students were selected through convenience sampling. Data were collected using a self-administered, structured questionnaire consisting of 20 Likert-scale items—10 measuring knowledge and 10 assessing attitude. Responses were analyzed using SPSS version 21.0. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and chi-square tests were applied. Ethical approval was obtained, and informed consent was secured from all participants.
Results: Among the 55 participants, 85.5% demonstrated good knowledge, 9.1% had fair knowledge, and 5.5% had poor knowledge. In terms of attitude, 63.6% showed a good attitude, 27.3% average, and 9.1% poor. A significant positive correlation was found between knowledge and attitude (r = 0.487, p < 0.01). Gender showed a significant association with both knowledge and attitude levels (p < 0.05). Mean Likert scores for knowledge items ranged from 2.09 to 3.84, indicating variable understanding across domains.
Conclusion: The study highlights that most nursing students possessed satisfactory knowledge and a favorable attitude toward palliative care. However, targeted curriculum enhancements and practical exposure remain essential to address conceptual gaps and strengthen palliative care competencies in undergraduate nursing education.